An NGO, Oxfam Hong Kong, has asked the city to do more to protect outdoor cleaners from heatstroke. A poll has revealed that more than 86 per cent of workers have suffered heat exhaustion because they do not know about the city’s heat warning system.
In May 2023, the Labour Department launched a three-level warning system. The signals are used to alert outdoor workers or those near heat sources to suspend work or rest when temperatures reach more than 30 degrees Celsius (86 Fahrenheit).
But Oxfam’s research team pointed out that cleaners seldom checked their phones at work. Since they were often unaware of the warnings, they continued to work in the heat.
The team interviewed 200 workers last year; 172 of them said they had experienced heat exhaustion.
Oxfam Hong Kong also said it was talking to authorities about launching a trial run for a smartwatch. It tells users when a hot weather warning has been issued. The NGO made the watch with tech company WeWealth Electronic Innotech.
In March, the NGO gave 300 of its smartwatches to workers, who later reported they became more aware of their rest periods and the need to hydrate thanks to alerts from the device.
Quiz time
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What is Oxfam Hong Kong asking the city’s authorities to do?
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Why have so many outdoor cleaners suffered from heat exhaustion?
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How can the smartwatch invented by Oxfam Hong Kong help city workers?
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Why do workers often miss the weather warnings issued by authorities?
Suggested answers
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to expand measures to better protect outdoor cleaners from heatstroke
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because they are unfamiliar with the city’s warning system
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It can alert users when a hot weather warning has been issued.
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because cleaners seldom check their phones at work
